Lightbulb
by chipswiththat
Summary: “Who is he? This Doctor?” is the first question Donna's been asked since it all began.


_Authors Note:_ _First ever fic, so I do hope everyone's in character. Thanks for reading!_

"Who is he? This Doctor?" is the first question Donna's been asked since it all began. It'd been a long day involving an unhappy hermaphroditic carnivorous alien plant (she was never going to look at dandelions the same way again), an ungodly amount of weedkiller and a _very_ confused public.

"Really, Donna, who is he?" The girl sitting opposite of Donna repeats. She's only seen the end of the conflict, but she is just as captivated as Donna was when she first met him.

She almost wants to say that he's some 'skinny, rude, hyperactive two-hearted alien, that has the attention span of a goldfish on a good day, and the tendency to never shut up'. Or that she doesn't know.  
Though truthfully she know enough about him (more than he probably likes) she knows that he's lonely (he also needs a friend, a mate as he says), knows that he likes tea (and an awful lot of it) she also knows that he also has the tendency to talk and stroke the TARDIS when he thinks no one is looking (though as to what he's saying she has no idea, because he's definitely not speaking English, and chances are she doesn't want to know, either).

"You know, when you were a kid?" Donna begins, resting her head on her palm, watching as the Doctor happily shakes the hands of the relieved townsfolk, "When you'd always look down into the basement?" The Doctor ignores Donna; he's busy lecturing now, hands flying off in every direction. 'He's probably talking a thousands words per minute' Donna thought with a sigh.

"All dark and scary?" Donna continued "But you always wanted to go down there, because you know there's always some goofy trinkets or some clothing that's way to big from your family's past that is just begging to be played with and tried on? " Donna glances over at the Doctor again who is still in full blown lecture mode.

"But you can't, because that means going down into the dark on that old wooden staircase that creaks so much that you think it'll break. And then you remember that little lightbulb." The Doctor finally stopped for breath and the small crowd around him is nodding madly, hoping that if they pretend to understand what he's saying that he'll stop.

"That little lightbulb, nothing special, just a lightbulb screwed into a socket with that dirty pull-cord. But that little lightbulb is all you need to fill that basement with light." No such luck for the townsfolk, the Doctor's misinterpreted their nodding for enthusiasm. He's back to talking at the speed of light.

"That little lightblub illuminates the basement with light, and suddenly it's not a scary dark, dungeon you're looking into, all the monsters in the dark are gone and the staircase looks like it can handle you running up and down it a few more times. It's just a basement, filled with old clothing, funny hats and adventures waiting to happen." The girl who Donna is talking too nodded listening intently while the sun began to set, the shadows of the trees in the park began to lengthen.

"That's who he is the Doctor, he's that little lightbulb. That little lightbulb that dispels the dark and shows you things you'd never find on your own." Donna pauses, she watched the Doctor walking towards the bench where she and the girl are sitting with long strides, hands jammed into his coat pockets.

"He doesn't look like much, but what he does makes all the difference in the world." The sound of footsteps crunching against the fallen leaves stopped . Donna felt a cool hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see the Doctor giving her a warm, heartfelt smile; he probably only heard the final sentences of Donna's conversation but he's smiling like those few words mean all the world to him.

"I'm the Doctor," The Doctor says as he shook the girl's hand. "Melissa," the girl replies as she returns the handshake. Melissa, rose from the park bench says "Nice meeting you Donna-" turning to the Doctor, "Doctor," and leaves the pair at the bench as she walks towards the park entrance.

"Where to next, Donna Noble?" The Doctor asked as he helped Donna off of the bench, "The entire universe is out there, waiting just for you." he says happily, adopting the role of universal tour guide once again, as they begin to walk down the path towards the TARDIS, crisp autumn breeze making his coat-tails swish as he walked.

"I was thinking of someplace by the ocean, but knowing you we'll probably end up the bloody desert!" she replies taunting him as they reach the TARDIS.

"Are you implying something?" the Doctor questioned, feigning hurt as he fumbled through his coat pocket. Pulling out a his Sonic Screwdriver, a yo-yo, some bent paper clips and a small brown paper bag of colorful candy before finally finding the key.

"Ohhh... nothing, you great outer-space dunce." Donna laughs taunting him as she walks into the console room of the TARDIS.

"Oi! That was sarcasm, you _are_ implying something!" The Doctor yelled back, as he slammed the TARDIS door, running up to the console.

"Like I said spaceman, nothing" Donna calls back watching as the Doctor moves quickly around the console pressing buttons and flicking levers seeming at random, as he begins preparing the TARDIS for the next adventure. The Doctor and Donna, traveling through time and space for as long as time will allow.


End file.
